Matthew James Global Relocation

Matthew James put a thief in my bedroom who stole cash and jewellery. They broke valuable vintage items and have tried every dodge in the book to avoid paying out insurance. The guys didn’t follow instructions, refused to pack things properly that ended up broken and rushed so they could get home before the traffic! Each time they ask for more or different information for their “insurers”, changing the goalposts to delay and denying my legitimate claim!! Awful AVOID!!!!!!

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: £7000

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. We chose their ¨GOLD¨option where they are meant to securely package all our goods, look at the photos and decide yourself. This resulted in damage to my property. Would you want your property transported like this? When I complained about this service, I received this response from Rachael Pepper (one of their directors): ¨Although we have already agreed that some goods may have been packaged better, you have definitely received a Gold service¨. I presume they will respond saying that they offered ¨compensation¨ (GBP 80). Considering the cost of their GOLD option is over GBP 200 more than BRONZE, I take this as typical corporate cynicism.

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: £2400

First the rep Jason turned up very prompt and smart. He took time in asking all ours need and requirements for the move. Very polite and totally professional service. I got email with the quote later in the week agreed fee. Then wow on day of move the 3 guys turned up all smart and looked pro. Even brought extra boxes and hanging rail just in case I didn't have enough. They say moving is the most stressful thing your ever do. For me never use Mathew James. They take the strain even when we arrived at new home they made shaw all crew knew where all rooms was and placed everything marked in right room. Well done gents. You was all great. Carry on the great work guys at Mathew James removals.

Service cost: £700

We hired Matthew James for a move from London to Valencia, Spain. $ pieces of furniture arrived damaged. A hepplewhite table arrived with a table leg torn off and another one loose.
Other pieces ware damaged. After 5 weeks company has not sent an insurance adjuster and only offer to pay for repairs and not loss of value despite having brokered an insurance policy covering those losses.

Will have to deal with the financial conduct authority and the insurance company to adjudicate the claim.

My recommendation is not to use this company.

Service cost: £4000

Absolutely awful. Ordered a move from London to Spain. Everything that could be broken, was broken. Most of the crystal glasses arrived in pieces, out of 36 only 6 survived, even though everything was wrapped and included "fragile" stickers all over the packaging (This packaging was done by me and wasn't even reinforced by them.) A large picture frame was completely torn off the picture, and they claimed it was like that before the removal, even though it's obvious that it was broken off into four pieces by some force. Vinyl records, cups, jewellery boxes - everything had pieces missing from it. Looks like the boxes were just thrown around.

Service cost: £5000

Every step of the move with this company has been completely unprofessional. Their ‘customer services’ team are arrogant and incompetent. Furniture was damaged and they refused to take any responsibility. Our furniture arrive more than a week late. I was promised all my shoes would be individually wrapped and carefully packed... they were all thrown into boxes together with zero care. I haven’t even finished unpacking my boxes and am genuinely afraid of what disaster I will uncover with each box opening.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: £6500

Terrible. Salesman Max advised that our shipment would leave UK on 29th June. Shipment did not leave UK until 27th July. When queried, salesman began quoting small print, advising that all times are approximate. General Manager Chris ignored repeated requests for updates and could not confirm a shipping date. I made 4 separate requests for the Managing Director Matthew DeMachen to call me which he never did, making several excuses each time. Customer service advised in writing that he was "unavailable" as he "heads up a multi-million pound business." The cost of this move was £5835. They will tell you what you want to hear to secure a sale. Quick to take the money and no interest in the customer once they have it. The company will put more effort in attempting to remove your review (by reporting it for various reasons) than resolving any issues. However, I feel sorry for the lady whose full-time job at Matthew James is to attempt to have reviews removed / defend the actions of this amateur organisation. All correspondence is available to anyone who wishes to contact me. I would be interested to see just how many reviews the company has removed to date. Highly incompetent, avoid.

Service cost: £5835

I asked Chris to arrange my goods to be put in my living room, sent him my house key, when I went to see Lee there my goods were stored in a corridor, I explained I left my front door key in microwave to enable driver to get better access if easier through my front door than patio doors, I asked to leave the key at the shop opposite, about 40 meters away, key left in garden, shop closed Chris said, opens at 7 am to 7 PM, all furniture DUMPED in my kitchen, 2 x 9 feet leather sofas, 3 tables, 2 coffee tables, chair etc. Spoke to Chris, said it was delivered, is in your house, you should have been there, he knew I work in Switzerland, he said they often deliver to empty houses, now I have to pay another company to attend, Chris made it clear in writing, we are not returning, not in your area in the forseeable future, what more you want from us? Maybe to complete what you charged me for, I have reported to the ombudsman with pictures.

Service cost: £1150

I chose Matthew James because they looked like a good company but I was so wrong. They quoted £4,600 for a 3 bedroom house to Spain. They could only bring half the stuff but didn't tell me until I had travelled to Spain and my husband had also left so there was nothing we could do. He people who were going to rent my house dropped out because they couldn't move in. When we received the delivery it was labelled very badly so we had to open everything to find anything all at once. They had snapped off my dressing table legs and labelled it snapped off legs!! We received our dining table legs solid oak but they 'lost our dining table top and Dyer waiting 3 months they are now saying they never picked it up and that we must still have it! I am now reporting them for theft. They have left me waiting for this pathetic verdict since the 16th December. I am still left with half my furniture in England and have to pay someone else to pick it up.
I would strongly advise anyone not to touch them with a barge pole. They are appalling.

Service cost: £4600

Moving internationally from England. As I could not be present at pick up (only drop off), I asked for MJ to contact the person who had my belongings in England to arrange pick up. They did not. MJ contacted me and said that they would pick up the next day. I was clear that they should not arrange pick up with me, so thought that this was a simple FYI. The goods were not ready, since my contact in England hadn’t heard anything from MJ prior to them turning up one day.

I had to pay £100 (+ VAT) for an additional pick up. That was arranged with my contact in England. Pick up was scheduled before lunch, they arrived late afternoon without even an “excuse us”! They did however find it strange that the office had promised pick up in the morning, because they were booked in for another job that day.

Drop off was flawless. However, it would not be fair to all companies out there who are serious to give Matthew James anything other than a 1-star review.

Not happy with all later interaction with them. Emails went unanswered, phoned and got a reassuring “we’ll look into it” and “we’ll get back to you”, then nothing more. After months of me nearly hounding them, they finally admitted that they were in the wrong regarding pick up and returned the £100 (+ VAT). Their tactics of trying to wear me down and make me give up didn’t work. I’ll hand it to them, they did a decent efffort to scam me. In short, major faff for me because of their incompetence!

Really upset with the whole ordeal. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone! Please, for your own well-being, choose another moving company.

Service cost: £974